"I want options and possibilities of what the hell just happened, and I want them optimistic people!" Tyufia ordered aboard the Hades as she paced the bridge. They had been monitoring the activation when they picked up a power spike that was followed by seismic activity. Next thing they knew, they lost Zevil's life sign.

"I'm running the sensors constantly and as hard as I can, but the seismic activity is causing interference." Said Yizura as she looked over the data at her console. "Think you could get me a little more power so I can boost the sensors, chief?"

"Rerouting power from non-essential systems now, lass." Rupert told her as he finished taking in the data from his station. "Just did a diagnostic of the systems, ma'am, and nothin is wrong on our end."

"Good job Rupert, see if you can recalibrate the deflector to help punch through the interference coming from the planet. I want to know what the hell happened down there and I especially want to know from the Romulans." Tyufia was doing her best not to freak out, but zero life signs didn't leave her with a lot of good outcomes. 'And if I'm taking it this bad, Six has to be doing worse.' She thought, opening up her empathic senses to take in the other woman's emotions as she turned to look at her.

What she saw and felt made her pause in surprise. Six was tapping away at her holo console like she was possessed, her hands moving a little faster than a normal human should be able to, several screens of different kinds of sensor data opening and closing rapidly, and her solitary eye darting back and forth as she took in all the information, her expression distant and her emotions determined. "I'd leave her to it, ma'am." Rupert told her gently, appearing by her side. "I've seen her like this before and nothing will snap her out of it till she finishes." He shrugged at her questioning look. "It's a leftover mindset from her drone days. It only really happens when she's hellbent on figuring something out."

"I definitely share that sentiment." Tyufia said with a deep sigh. "Tell me he's alright Rupert." She asked quietly, wiping her hand down her face. Baring Zevil, Rupert was the one member of the crew that Tyufia went to for advice. He had this grandfatherly way about him that many of the crew besides herself found comforting and would tell him about their problems and get his advice. He kind of reminded her of the Boothby hologram at the Academy, just with metal and engine work instead of flowers and gardening.

"Of course he is lass." Rupert said with complete assurity as he placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "If anyone can get out of a scrape like this and smell like a bonny rose, it's the admiral." He gave her shoulder a pat and smiled at her. "We just need to figure out how to help him."

"And to do that, we need to figure out what exactly happened." She replied and blew out a deep sigh. "And I have a pretty good idea who could help…but Xavius isn't going to like it. Hail the Shadow of Bajor." She ordered as she walked to the middle of the bridge and looked up at the screen that flickered to show the face of Commander Olan Rassi. Tyufia could feel the barest hint of trepidation and worry coming from her fellow Betazoid. Unsurprising, given Zevil's and Lydana's nonsense lately. "Commander Rassi, I'm going to be blunt: right now I couldn't give a tribble's non-existent left testical what our C.O.s are fighting about or whose fault it is. They and multiple other people are missing, including several high ranking officials from the Klingon Empire that the High Council will not be happy to find out is missing." She paused to breathe and let that thought sink in before continuing. "I say we call a truce and loop the Enterprise, Borcath, and any Republic ship that will take our calls in on this and problem-solve. Sound good?"

The commander's cadaverous features split into a relieved smile, and he gave a curt nod.

"I'm glad someone around here has some damned sense!" he said with a strained chuckle. "I know a few Republic ships we can call on for help, although if I know Admiral Kassai's sister, the Maiden of Silence is already here." He paused, thinking for a moment. "We should also think about contacting officers in their respective task forces, I know they may be a while away but having reinforcements en route may be a blessing."

Tyufia nodded to Asouzi to make the call before turning back to Olan. "We're doing that now, but maybe no pirates? Especially none that are wanted by all three present governments?" She said with a sardonic smirk that turned into a full on grin when Orlan squirmed in nervous discomfort. "I'll hail the Enterprise and the-" she was cut off by the proximity alert going off.

"The Borkath has engaged shields and is powering weapons." K'Thoke reported.

"Hail them and patch the Shadow in too. What the hell is K'gan thinking?" Tyufia ordered and view screen split to show the interior of the Botkath, but it wasn't the ship's first officer, but a very pissed off Orion.

"I am Dr. Dalla Sinah, de facto Matriarch of House K'gor." She said, her face thunderous and her tone murderous. "You have exactly one minute to tell me one thing before I give the order to murder you all: Where is my goddamn wife!?"

"Huh, guess Xavius finally got his wish." Tyufia said under her breath, but got to business to try and defuse the situation. "Dr. Sinah, Lady K'gor, or whatever you prefer to be called, let's not do anything hasty like start a war in Republic territory, that's a conflict no one wants. We don't know what happened-"

"Incorrect." Said Six as she stood from her seat to join Tyufia in range to be seen by the others. "I have completed my analysis of the situation before, during, and after we lost contact with our collective command officers."

"How convenient." Dalla sneered. "Am I supposed to believe that this lizard-fucking-drone just happens to have the answers I want when I come calling?"

'That wasn't smart. This is gonna be brutal.' Tyufia thought as she watched on. It didn't take a lot to get the crew's resident Ex-B pissed off, but if the emotions coming off Six were anything to go by, Dallas had just done it.

"What you believe is irrelevant." Six said with emotionless finality. "Not in the face of clear cut science. I'd expect a doctor and scientist of your caliber and reputation to understand that, but clearly your mind is unhelpfully clouded by your years-long obsession with your CO." As Dalla's face started to turn a very dark green, Six turned to Tyufia. "Permission to send my findings to the other ships for verification, commander?"

Tyufia, who was just barely holding in her laughter at the vicious comments sent Dalla's way, nodded. "Go ahead Six, and send them to the Enterprise and any Romulan ship that will answer our hails."

The order was carried out and the screen was split into four with the four different faces. Commander Samuel Winters of the Enterprise was in the bottom left, Orlan was in the top left, and K'gan replaced Dalla in the bottom right corner. He had been elected to lead the talks, even though General Mu'dar had gotten out of the cave in, but was currently knocked out. The top right was empty, Six still trying to contact a Republic vessel.

"Do the Romulans value us as allies so little that they would not bother to answer our hails? The HuH!" Growled K'gan, actually spitting the last word.

"They're all probably just trying to make sense of the situation on the surface, Commander." said Commander Winters. He was a caucasian human male, late middle age, and with short blond hair. "Enterprise is detecting almost continuous seismic activity from New Romulus and it's only getting worse. They may be planning an evacuation."

The proximity alert sounded as two ships appeared on their port side. At Tyufia's command, Six switched the view screen to show the newcomers. The first looked like a Scimitar-class but had jagged and unpleasant-looking Borg hardware attached to it, making it look more monstrous than anything. The other ship was - of all things - a Ghemor-class Cardasian carrier. Tyufia had thought it was that psycho princess's ship, but it was holding its position behind the Botkath. They were soon hailed by the ships and two new faces joined them. Well…a new one and a familiar face.

"Zero! Am I glad to see you!" Tyufia said with a big smile. She had met her when they rescued Zevil from Hakeev's arena. Both had been forced to fight and had escaped with another Reman by the name of Slamek, only for Slamek to betray them and lead them into a trap. They had been lucky to get them both out before Hakeev's firing squad had killed them.

Zeraelia 'Zero' Vaejas, once described as "the only Reman blessed with the inability to give a shit," obtained her unfortunate nickname for two reasons: the first, and most obvious, was as a jovial short form of her given name. The second was that it was her chances of not developing an attraction to someone, but nonetheless she bore the name proudly.

"Hey Ty, nice to see you again," the Reman said with a warm smile, flipping the purple eyepiece away from her face. "Wish it was under better circumstances though. Now, let's get on with finding that delicious, man-cand- oh hey, is that Sexy Six back there?!"

"Commander."

"Sorry sir, carry on sir."

The one that had reigned in the Reman, which Tyufia thought was impossible if it wasn't Obisek, was only a little less Borg than his ship. His hair was long and blonde, his skin pale, a latticework of Borg implants was on his cheek, just under his right eye, but his eyes were what caught most people's attention: they were completely black and reflective.

"I am Sub-Admiral Tivus of the R.R.W. Vastara. With me is, as some of you know, is Commander Zeraelia Vaejas of the Achlys." He said, his voice calm and matter of fact, reminding Tyufia of holos she had seen of Commander Data. "Please forgive the delay in answering your hails. We were gathering what little we could glean from the few survivors of the gateway activation.

"From what we can gather, there was a spike in the energy transfer, causing the gateway to overload and start the chain reaction that has caused the level of instability Mol'Rihan is currently experiencing." He told them, sounding more like his Vulcan cousins then a Romulan. "Unfortunately we do not know the fates of the activation team, nor I'm sorry to say that of your people."

"I believe I do, Sub-Admiral." Six said to her fellow Ex-B. "We are sending you data that our sensors picked up during the time around the activation. The events unfolded as you described, but during the cave in the Hades detected bursts of extra-dimensional energy approximately where the gateway would have been."

"They must have used the gateway to escape the cave in!" Said Winters, relief clear on his face. Tyufia could relate, she had been wearing the worst.

"Very impressive, Commander." Tivus said, but he frowned, showing the first sign of real emotion. "However, this does pose a new problem."

"They may yet live, but we do not know where they are." K'gan growled, clearly frustrated and Tyufia could sorrow seeping through his rage. "They might as well be dead." A green fist connected with K'gan's face, knocking him off frame.

"Say shit like that again and I'll vivisect you without anesthetic!" Dallah growled before retaking the seat she had given up to him. "Let me be crystal clear here: I do not accept that they are beyond saving. We are going to figure out a way to get them back. Especially the two green blooded assholes whose leaders thought it was a good fucking idea to activate a fucking Iconian gateway!"

"I'm not worried." Tyufia said confidently, arms crossed and a smirk on her face, effectively stopping Zero from ripping Dallas a new one. "Now that I know the gateway was used, I know without a doubt that they'll find a way to get back to us."

"What makes you so confident Commander?" Tivus asks, brow raised and head tilted slightly.

"Because they have the some of the best scientists and engineers from the Romulan Republic," Zero grinned while Tivus' nodded in thanks, "some of the greatest warriors the Klingon Empire has produced, from this and the last generation," for the first time Dallas smiled a little, her rage simmering a little as she thought of her wife, "one of whom is a former captain of the Enterprise, so they have two of those now," Winters nodded with a smile, "and two of the craziest, most headache inducing geniuses that I have ever had the honor of serving with." She and Olan shared matching tired, but hopeful, smiles. Something you get when you work with the kind of brilliant minds that Zevil and Lydana had.

"We're going to get them back." Tyufia looked to Six when she said it, making sure to look right into the former drone's eye and scope when she said it. "No doubt in my mind." Six gave a small watery smile, the cracks in her armor showing. 'Please don't make a liar out of me, Xavius.' She thought to herself, despite what she had said, a small sliver of doubt was wormed its way into her heart. Normally she wouldn't worry, but she kept picturing two raging and bloodthirsty beasts in a confined space killing each other, and she didn't like that the two beasts looked like Zevil and Lydana.


Unknown Location

'I'm getting quite sick of waking up like this.' Zevil thought with a groan as he slowly came to. As he opened his eyes, he was grateful that there weren't any bright lights in his face like the last time he had woken up like this.

"Don't move, or this lump on your head will come out worse," a familiar - and currently untrustworthy - voice said from behind him. He realized he could hear the sounds of a dermal regenerator being applied, and he swore inwardly. Of course it would have to be Lydana helping him.

"You really need to stop with the cranial trauma, you may be thick-headed but there's limits to how much damage even your skull can take."

"I'll take that under advisement." Zevil grumbled, trying his best to not move his head but get a look at Lydana as she moved the device over his wound. He didn't like the idea of Lydana having access to his body while he was unconscious, but he couldn't focus on that now. "I won't move, but I have three questions: what's our status, did we all make it, and where are we?"

The dermal regenerator stopped, and Zevil heard a medical tricorder being opened, operated, and closed again.

"Well, in order," Lydana said, moving to where Zevil could see her, "we are currently lost, everyone made it thanks to the timely intervention of the Empire's strangest siblings, and as far as we can tell…we have no idea where we are."

She took a swig from a water canteen, before setting it in front of Zevil. "Go on, you're well enough to sit up and drink. Just take it easy."

Wary of anything Lydana would give him to eat or drink, Zevil took the canteen anyway as he sat up and looked around him, seeing the handful of the people that made either sitting, being treated for injuries, or investigating the room they were in. The room itself was all metal, a muted purple color, very spacious, and lit with purple lights located on the walls.

"I'm not going to ask if you did this." Zevil said, holding his hand up when she moved to speak. "Mostly because it wouldn't make sense for you to and you didn't make or place the charges. Not because I trust you, I don't think I ever will after what you've done. To Pezhal, the crew of the Phoenix, and especially what you did to me." He thought he saw regret in her eyes, but he knew he was wrong. Lydana didn't care who she hurt to get her way. "So, a truce then, because I don't have a choice but to trust you."

"Sounds good to me." Lydana said, taking the canteen back and closing it again. Lydana helped Zevil up, and she led the way towards where Kererek, Shon, the K'gor sisters, and Ambassador Worf were assembled by the only available door, the latter using a Klingon tricorder to scan the door.

"Ha! What did I tell you, sister?" J'Vasa said on seeing the two admirals. "Death would not dare claim an ally of our house!" She followed this with a playful shove that her sister responded with her own.

"Your faith in my ability to take a head injury is touching, general." Zevil said as they joined the group. "Admiral Kassai has briefed me on our situation here, but have we been able to learn anything else?"

"The activation team hasn't been able to learn anything from any of the scans we've done." Admiral Kererek told him, his grizzled face grim. "We have no idea where or how far we've traveled. All we do know is that we're not in normal space anymore."

"And we are trapped." J'Vasa growled as she looked over Kererek. "All because you and your leaders did not listen!" She growled as she stomped over to him and lifted him by his collar, his feet kicking in the air. "Now we will die here because of Romulan hubris and vanity!"

"J'Vasa, put him down." Zevil said calmly, but firmly. "This wasn't his fault. All the projections and data looked right, we triple checked their work and made sure it appeared to be safe. It was a freak accident."

"An accident?" She asked as she lowered Kererek back down, leaving his space completely to loom over Lydana menacingly. "Or sabotage? This one is a spy with no qualms over the manipulation of others. Isn't that right, 'Arsala'?" It was just a flash, but there was a slight widening of Lydana's eyes. "K'men might have missed your infiltration of Qo'Nos, but General Xrithath did not." She bent down to be eye level with a small Bajoran. "The only reason I am not using your innards to polish my blade, is because you gave my beloved the courage to follow her heart."

"Well, as much as you make me swoon, I highly doubt a non-KDF officer could have truly gotten your attention," Lydana replied with a wry grin. "Except Xavius, of course, but he's much more of the 'warrior' sort than I am."

"It couldn't have been Lydana," Xavius interrupted. "Make no mistake, she's certainly capable of doing something like that for 'the greater good'." Zevil sent a little glare to Lydana as he said that. "But it makes no logical sense. Any other world? She wouldn't even have to think about it, but this world? The new home world of Loraya S'vae? No. Lydana can be heartless, but she could never be that heartless." Zevil winced as a spike of pain lanced through his brain.

"Not to mention the fact that the charges were made by Chief O'Brien on the Enterprise and put in place by Admiral Zevil. Admiral Kassai had no contact with them whatsoever." Shon said and gave a supporting smile to Lydana, who returned it, her unease around him diminishing.

"There is still the chance that this was sabotage, but not from anyone in this room." Worf said as he continued to fiddle with his tricorder and everyone turned to look over to him. "I can not tell you why with any level of certainty, but this place fills me with…unease." he growled the last word. Ever since he stepped into this place, there was something about it that made him feel like a cornered targ, like he was in the lair of a predator. It felt like a memory, but it was too ephemeral, it irritated him and threatened to break his warrior's zen.

"This entire room looks alien," Thirteen said, her hands gripping her bat'leth tight. "I'm not familiar with any of it. Have any of you seen it's like?"

"Elements in the design are familiar, but given that it was an Iconian gateway that brought us here, I'm not surprised to see their hand in its creation." Zevil eyed the room, seeing the same organic and sweeping lines in all the Iconian technology he'd come across. "That might help us to move beyond this room and investigate further. I've spent the better part of my career studying Iconian tech and might be able to assist the Ambassador with the door."

"I require that assistance now, Admiral." Worf said, not looking up from his tricorder when Zevil knelt down to look over the data being displayed. "I believe I can get this door open, but we will need to work quickly. Once I override the security protocols, I will need you to rewire the primary motivator to release the locking clamps."

Zevil nodded and went over to the console by the door, removing the front casing so he could get to the mechanism inside. He was relieved that it was close enough to technology he was familiar with. He was a soldier and tactician, not an engineer. "I've found the motivator, standing by for the go ahead, Ambassador." He turned to look at the high ranking officers. "Weapons at the ready, no idea what we'll be dealing with in the next room."

J'Vasa and Thirteen stepped forward and took out their bat'leths, getting into attack stances as Lydana, Shon, and Kererek took out their weapons, phasers for the Starfleet officers and a plasma pistol for Kererek, and got into firing poses behind the generals. Worf put the command, the tricorder pinged when the security was down, Zevil quickly rewired the motivator, and the doors slid open.

Upon not being attacked, Worf stood up from his crouch and walked through the door. "Now to see what lies beyond." He said, cautious curiosity coloring his voice. Zevil and the others followed him, ordering the rest of the officers to wait for their all clear. This room was far bigger than the one they had arrived in, with three pylons-like structures that look like they grew organically from the floor, and three more doors. "Lydana, Va'kel, Kererek: scan the doors. We'll cover you." Zevil said as he took out his own phasers, wishing they were a rifle instead.

The three did as asked, taking out their tricorders and going to the three doors separately. Lydana went to the door on the far left. "Interesting. Are you guys detecting high levels of tetryon radiation behind your doors?"

"Yes, and my tricorder is showing this whole place is a complex of some kind." Shon said as he looked over the information coming to him. "There's another large room down this hallway. No life signs- well, none that our tricorders are able to pick up any way."

"I am picking up something beyond this door, but I can't make sense of it." Kererek said as he came over to show the others the readings. "It could be life signs, but the readings are…odd, to say the least."

"Perhaps the 'not normal' space we're in is interfering with the scans?" Zevil suggested, but something about the scans was tickling something in the back of his mind. Like a memory, but it was still too ephemeral to make out. "Regardless, we still need to investigate."

"I can see only one viable option in that regard, though I am loath to suggest it." Worf said, arms folded as he looked over the three doors. "But splitting up would allow us to cover more ground and investigate this facility more effectively."

"I don't like it either, Ambassador, but as you just said we have little choice." Zevil looked over their impromptu away team. "K'gor sisters take the left door, Shon and Kererek take the middle, leaving Lydana, Worf, and myself with the right door. We check in with one another periodically and make our way back here if something goes wrong. Any objections?"

"Objections? No," stated Thirteen, Her baleful crimson eye fixing on Zevil, "but I am curious why you seem so intent to keep Admiral Kassai so close to you."

"Yes, do tell, Xavius," Lydana added in her usual musical tones, cocking her head to one side. "After all, I've worked with Shon and Kererek several times before - I can work with either of them just as well. So why are you so keen to keep me close?"

"Because while I don't think you did this, I don't trust you to be unattended by anyone even remotely sympathetic to you and the lies you keep perpetuating." Zevil said so bluntly that the group almost felt like they were punched with his words, leaving him free to continue talking. "If you decide to revert to your underhanded ways, I'm the only one able and willing to stop you by any means necessary." Unknown to the others, Lydana felt a slight pressure on her throat, not choking her but the message was understood nonetheless as her eyes widened.

"Besides that, with the three of us together, we have the collective skill and knowledge of all three career tracks of Starfleet. Which will certainly help us investigate what I assume is a very large room by the size of the door." Zevil gestured at the door. "Now, if we're all done questioning my very valid concerns, let's get to work." Not even waiting for anyone to speak, Zevil turned and walked towards the door.

"From what I have heard about him, this seems out of character behavior for the Admiral." Worf said, sliding a glance to J'Vasa who gave a clarifying nod, before he slid a glance to the diminutive Bajoran. "What exactly happened between you two?"

"That's been the question on everyone's minds back at ESD." Shon asked as he gave Lydana a questioning look. "I've known Admiral Zevil almost as long as you, Admiral Kassai, and he's not an easy man to rile up or have that kind of anger in his eyes."

"My old friend earned the name 'Oncoming Blizzard' for a reason and he has always been a level head warrior that would not attack for no reason." J'Vasa said as she glared suspiciously at Lydana, her hand resting on her d'tahg dagger. "So answer us, little spy: what did you do to warrant your fellow officers ire?" It was phrased more as an accusation than a question making even the Romulans, who were usually on her side, look at her suspiciously.

"I have to be honest-"

"A first time for everything," Thirteen growled, until Kererek gave her a cautionary glare.

"I'm afraid you know as much as I do," Lydana finished, her voice heavy with sorrow and regret. "I know that as an Intelligence operative, I have to make decisions that will end lives. I know that I oversee operations that will create martyrs and heroes alike, and those names will never be made public knowledge. It's why I keep track of them myself. But what I don't know, is what madness has gripped one of my closest friends to the point that he would ally himself with someone who uses a kind of inert Borg code in their encryption."

There was a moment of silence from the room as the others digested what Lydana had said. Eventually, it was Shon who broke the tension. "Who would - or could - do such a thing?"

"I have my suspicions," Lydana answered. "I have my sister chasing down a few leads, but one thing I am sure of, is that he's working with another SI officer, Captain Octavia Harper. For those unfamiliar-" she looked at the K'gor sisters - "just imagine the least honorable creature you can, and you may just have an inkling of what Harper is like. And she is not someone that Xavius would ally with under anything like normal circumstances."

J'Vasa snorted and rolled her eyes. "Zevil is no fool. He, better than anyone save the Ambassador and myself, knows the dangers of Borg technology and would only use them if a threat was severe enough to warrant its use." She sneered down at Lydana, contemp now maring her face. "Take your slander elsewhere, spy, you will find no allies in the House of K'gor." While this was said unilaterally for her whole House, the doubt in her sister's eyes said otherwise.

"Listen, Admiral, I agree that Borg technology is dangerous and the fact that he's using it is a concern…but Xavius has more credibility than you do." Shon said, an apology in his eyes. "I've heard some of the stories about your missions, and if the rumors are to be believed, you are only slightly more scrupulous than Captain Harper. Besides that, the general is right. Xavius wouldn't go to the lengths he's gone to without cause. I'm sorry Admiral, I want to believe this is a simple misunderstanding or that Xavius is wrong, but I can't."

"If you're quite done airing our dirty laundry to everyone, we have work to do." Zevil said in Lydana's mind before she could try and convince them she was innocent. "I have the door opened. Letting Worf know now."

"I'll give you this much, Xavius," she said in her mind, unsure if her old friend was still reading it, "you've done a marvelous job of destroying the credibility and trust I've worked so hard to build up. Our old 'friends' in the Tal Shiar must love you."

"If you wish to speak to me, Lydana, do it with your words, like a big girl." Zevil said coldly, throwing Lydana's words back at her. "And I think you'll find I didn't do this, you did. Actions have consequences, and this is what your twisted sense of the greater good gets you: seen as no better than Section thirty-one or even the Tal Shiar. Maybe you'll think twice before you use good people in your vile chess game."

The arrival of the Ambassador stopped any further barbs being flung. "Come, let us see what we can find." He said, sparing them both a calculating glance as they all quickly started to make their way down the corridor. It was just as large as the door suggested, its ceiling easily twenty feet high and the hall was twice as long with a slight curve. The walk was uneventful and blessedly silent, giving the three time to think.

Zevil couldn't shake the feeling he knew who might own this facility and possibly be behind this. Not Lydana…this time at least, but something…older? Maybe from Worf's time? All thoughts of that nature were swiftly pushed to the side as they entered another large room with equally large equipment along the walls and some kind of centralized console unit in the middle of the room.

"More ambient traces of tetryon radiation." Zevil observed as he and the others pulled out their tricorders.

"Same here," Lydana confirmed. "Not that anyone will believe me, I'm sure," she added bitterly.

Her expression remained as unfailingly cheerful as ever, but inside her thoughts and emotions were in turmoil. Was Xavius right? Had she gone too far in her application of her skills?

She had always been someone prone to self-doubt, but she had thought that almost all of that had been crushed with the combined forces of experience and therapy. She still had nightmares, but they were lessened now, and she knew that everything she did was in service - and protection - of the Federation.

So why did she feel like she was guilty if everything Xavius accused her of? Why did she feel - once again - like her hands were slick with the blood of every officer she had sent to their deaths?

Her vision began swimming, and her tricroder clattered to the floor as her chest tightened and she fought for breath. While her body suffered, her mind sought the familiar with cold detachment: this was not a new experience, merely a forgotten one…she hadn't felt like this since…

…Since the Steadfast.

She crouched down, making a show of retrieving her tricorder as she quietly breathed deep and slow, calming herself as best she could.

A Prophets-damned panic attack. Why was she having one of those, now, after so much time had passed?

She eventually straightened up again, and if anyone had noticed her incapacitation they didn't show it.

"That mystery has nothing on these devices." Zevil said as he gestured to the large machines in front of him before he tapped his badge. "Zevil to teams: we've reached another room, this one with large machines, thirty-three feet high, forty-two feet wide in size, and scans show they are environmental and life support controls. What drew my focus, however, is that they were only recently set to support basic humanoid life." Zevil turned to Lydana and Worf, his face grim as he said "Which means that they were prepared for our arrival."

"That as good as confirms at least one of our assumptions about the Activation: it was sabotage." Worf said with finality, a growl lacing the final word. "The question now becomes why and who was behind it."

"Whoever it is, we know they are technologically advanced and very old." Zevil said as he continued to pour over the data from his tricorder. "These life support systems are multi-adaptive and well beyond anything currently used in the Alpha and Beta Quadrant, but the wear and tear of it is decades old, perhaps longer."

"I can at least confirm where we are." J'Vasa said over the comm. "We have found more tetryon radiation, and can now confirm that we are in subspace." Word and Zevil shared a look, this revelation slotting another piece of the puzzle for them, but the answer was still alluding them both. "We are in a sickbay of sorts, but it is unlike any I have seen. My Dalla would not be impressed with it."

"Interesting. Shon, have you and Kererek found anything?" Zevil asked as he continued to look around the room.

"We've reached what we think is some kind of engineering lab and we were able to get some information from one of the consoles here. This facility is almost completely automated- of course, automated doesn't mean abandoned." Shon said, correcting himself at the end.

"Agreed, especially after the discovery we just made." Zevil gave the life support a weary look. "Someone had to set these systems to cause the power spike and set the life support to keep us alive when we got here. But why?"

"We can add those questions to the list that is forming, but for now we must not forget our defense." Worf said as he looked around the room with an even more critical eye as he took out his disrupter. "If this facility is automated, I have to wonder if that includes its security."

"My thoughts exactly, Ambassador." Shon said, clearly hearing the Klingon. "We're keeping watch for automated security. We haven't come across anything yet, but if we do we can handle it. We've found something else here. It looks like some kind of targeting array. I'm going to see if I can find out more about it."

"Perhaps it's a way out." Lydana thought out loud. Receiving questions looks from her team, she explained. "Our transporters use targeting systems to get us to and from places, this could be the same thing but for gateways."

"Maybe it's a way to open a gateway without a corresponding one on the other end." Shon theorized over the comm. "I'll check in when we know more. Shon out."

"Finally, some hope." Zevil said almost to himself. He turned and zeroed in on the central console. "I think we should take a closer look at that console."

"Good idea." Worf said as he joined Zevil at the console. "If there is a targeting system and a medical bay, we may find the equivalent of a shuttlebay as well."

"Agreed." Zevil said as he began to fiddle with the controls. "Lydana, you are the best systems expert we have, so your assistance would be appreciated."

Figuring that was probably the nicest request she would get, Lydana held her tongue and went to the console. It was cylindrical in shape with curved organic lines and black screens with holographic consoles.

"I'm not having any luck finding anything other than life support controls here." Lydana said with a frustrated growl, after a few minutes of trying to get through the facility's cyber security. "Whoever owns this facility locked out access to the systems outside this one when they changed the air to an oxygen/nitrogen base."

"Can you tell what the life support base was before?" Zevil asked, trying to think of any races Starfleet has come across with different support requirements than the basic humanoid needs.

"Gimme a minute, I'll see if I can find out." Lydana told them distractedly, focusing on the task at hand.

"We haven't heard from the security detail." Worf observed suspiciously as he turned to Zevil. "We need to check in with them."

Not needing to be told twice, Zevil tapped his badge. He had informed the combined security officer of the three present factions to inform of anything while Lydana was trying to turn the others against him. "Zevil to security team." No one answered and he tapped again. "Zevil to security team, please respond." Nothing. "Lydana, is anything blocking our communications?" Zevil asked.

Lydana took out her tricorder and did a quick scan. "I'm not getting any interference signals."

"This is suspicious." Worf said, feeling his metaphorical hackles rising. "We should check in with J'Vasa and Shon's teams."

"K'gor sisters, come in immediately." Zevil said as he tapped his badge.

"Thirteen here," the ex-non-Borg answered casually.

"We can't reach the security team. Have either of you heard from them?"

"Negative. We have found nothing of interest in the medbay, and nothing to earn glory from. We are returning to keep an eye on things."

"Good luck to both of you, we'll check in with Shon." Zevil said and tapped his badge to end the call and then again "Shon, come in."

"Shon here, we're still working on the targeting array and- hold on, that's strange….Do you hear that? We should- Kererek look out!" Shon shouted, there was the sound of weapons fire, and then the call went dead. The three officers looked at one another before moving as one.

"Scans showed that this room has a hallway to the room Shon and Kererek were in! Here!" Lydana said as she led the other two through the other door and down the hall.

"Weapons ready! Shon and his team sounded like they were in trouble!" Worf shouted as they ran, but when they came through the doors at the end of the hall, no one was there. Admiral Kererek and Captain Shon were gone.


AN: AN: Salutations and bienvenue! Just a quick little announcement: I'm on TikTok now! I will be releasing trailers and teasers for all my stories, both new and old, on the app! I've already posted trailers for all of my STO stories! Check em out and if you want updates on new upcoming stories, like and follow DrXYZevil! Till then, I bid you adieu!